4. Ship parameters and distribution (own-ship
heading, roll and pitch, own-ship speed and distance,
and wind speed and direction).
5. Air conditioning and heating.
6. Interior communications.
COMBAT SYSTEMS TEST
AND EVALUATION PROGRAM
The Combat Systems Test and Evaluation Pro-
gram (CSTEP) is a combination of special teams,
tests, evaluations, publications, and reports used to
promote the overall effectiveness and readiness of
shipboard combat systems.
This program has three basic purposes:
1. To increase the priority and focus given to
combat systems during overhauls and ship restricted
availabilities (SRAs);
2. To increase the efficiency and effectiveness of
combat systems evolutions that occur during a ship’s
life cycle schedule; and
3, To provide a procedure for the intermediate
unit commander (IUC) to use periodically in moni-
toring and assessing the combat systems organization
and readiness of individual units.
The overall goal of the program is to develop and
maintain a high combat systems readiness in each
unit in the force. Its specific objectives are as fol-
lows:
Maintenance: To improve the combat systems
maintenance condition of the force.
Overhaul planning: To improve the planning
process for the combat systems portion of overhauls
and major ship restricted availabilities (SRAs).
Overhaul. To improve the quality of work
conducted on combat systems equipment, to increase .
the focus on combat systems integrated testing, and
to ensure high levels of technical training during an
overhaul or an SRA.
Post-overhaul: To ensure maximum combat
systems effectiveness immediately after overhaul by
taking fill advantage of the basic and intermediate
training associated with the overhaul or the SRA.
Combat readiness: To maintain combat sys-
tems equipment readiness and training at a high level
throughout the entire operational cycle of each unit
in the force; to provide for efficient and effective
management of combat-systems-related training, ad-
ministrative, and readiness programs; and to provide
a means to evaluate and report promptly a unit’s com-
bat systems readiness.
The CSTEP is composed of many elements, all of
which are intended to increase combat systems readi-
ness. Several of those programs are briefly discussed
in this section. Table 4-1 shows a typical life cycle
schedule of CSTEP key events.
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